Furniture construction



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 19 64 INVENTOR Oct. 18, 1966 H. KRAMER 3,279,734

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,279,734 FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Hyman Kramer, 27 64 E. 16th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,075 6 Claims. '(Cl. 248-166) This invention relates to improvements in furniture construction, and more particularly to an improved swing link and a link-to-cross-rod means connection, especially designed for and suited to tubular-frame folding chair and chaise construction, but of course useful in other applications as well.

As conducive to an understanding of the present invention, it is explained that the swing links heretofore used in certain types of folding chair and/or chaise construction to connect the inclined rear legs thereof to the extended ends of the cross rod means (sometimes also called the spacer or spreader bar) which connects the back and seat frame members for folding movement, are made of heavy gauge, flat steel stock and are provided with punched holes at both ends thereof, one for receiving the rivet by which each said link is attached for swinging movement in its plane to a rear leg and about the axis of which it swings during setting up and collapsing of the chair, and the other for receiving an extended end of the cross rod means which projects outwardly a sufiicient distance as to lie in the plane of said rear leg, thus to be capable of holding the chair in the set-up position. Usually, said rivet mounts -a spacing washer which is interposed between said rear leg and the lower end of the link and there is also provided a spacing washer on the extended end of the cross rod part which is disposed between the upper end of the link and an adjacent frame member (usually the back frame) or between said upper end of the link and the yoke-type hinge bracket sometimes employed to hingedly connect the back and seat frames, said washers serving to appropriately space the link from the adjacent leg and frame members (or said hinge brackets) respectively.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a swing link as aforesaid, but which is so constructed and arranged as to make unnecessary the use of the two spacing washers previously associated with the ends thereof, and also to provide the link with its own reinforcement, which latter feature makes possible the use of substantially lighter-gauge fiat steel stock in the fabrication of said link. By so constructing the links as to make the use of separate spacing washers therewith unnecessary, the cost of the washers themselves, the cost of handling and inventorying said Washers, and the labor costs involved in assembling said washers on the aforesaid rivet and cross-rod means as heretofore are saved, and reinforcement of the links provided according to the invention permits the use of lighter-gauge steel stock in the fabrication of said links than was heretofore possible, thus in troducing further economies in the cost of the chair construction employing the improved links of the invention.

In another of its aspects, the invention contemplates and provides a novel connection between the upper ends of folding chair swing links as aforesaid and the extended ends of the cross rod means, which is not only effective and highly practical but also such as to lessen the cost of the connection as compared to that of the connecting means employed in prior folding chair construction.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a connection between the swing links as conventionally employed in folding chair construction and the cross rod means thereof, which not only improves the appearance of said connection but also simplifies and reduces the cost of said cross-rod means.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of "ice a folding chair swing link-to-cross-rod means connection as aforesaid of a type which permits of the aforesaid swing links, the cross-rod ends and the end bushings conventionally carried by the same, or any two of said parts such as the swing links and the end bushings with which said links are associated to be preassembled by a producer thereof and sold as preassembled units to chair and/ or chaise manufacturers.

The above and other objects and advantages of a folding chair swing link and a link-to-cross-rod connection according to the present invention will appear from or become apparent from the following detailed description thereof, taken with the accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an improved swing link according to the invention applied to folding chair construction;

FIG. 2 is a broken-away section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the improved swing link and related parts making up the link-to-crossrod connection shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but illustrating a slightly modified form of swing link and an improved link-to-cross-rod connection according to the present invention;

BIG. 6 is a perspective view of an end bushing of the type preferably employed in the FIGS. 4 and 5 form of link-tocross-rod connection; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view intended to illustrate the further concept of the present invention of making up the novel swing links and the improved link-to-cross-rod connecting means of the invention in the form of preassembled units, each consisting of a swing link, a shortlength of stub cross .rod and an end bushing, for sale and assembly as such.

For the purpose of ready disclosure, the present invention in its various aspects has been illustrated and will be described in the following as embodied in tubularframe folding chair construction employing longitudinally and transversely extending, interleaved webbing strips as the seat and back elements, but it will be understood that it is equally applicable to chaise lounge construction and to other types of folding furniture and similar construction employing swing links and link-to-cross-rod connecting means as herein proposed. Although only partially illustrated since its construction is so well known, it will be understood that the framework of such a folding chair essentially comprises side pairs of oppositely inclined front and rear legs (of which one rear leg designated 10 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 and both rear legs are shown in FIG. 7) pivotally connected to one another at or adjacent their upper ends; a normally horizontal seat frame 12 pivotally connected near its forward end to the front legs; a back frame 14 pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear end of the seat frame by cross-rod means generally designated by reference number 16 and which has extended ends (see FIG. 7) which pass through and thereby pivotally connect the seatand back-frame ends and thence project outwardly thereof into the operating plane of the rear legs 10 and which furthermore rest on said rear legs when the chair is set up for use; and swing links 20 which are pivotally connected at their lower ends by rivets 22 to the inclined rear legs 10 as to lie sidewardly thereof, thus to be swingable in vertical planes disposed laterally of said legs, and at their upper ends to the extended ends of the cross-rod means 16 by virtue of said extended ends passing through holes in said upper ends.

In all prior folding-chair constructions of the character described with which I am familiar, it was standard practice to fabricate the aforesaid swing links 20 from heavy 3. gauge, flat steel stock and to interpose a spacing washer between the lower end of each said link and the rear leg member to which it is pivotally connected, and similarly to interpose a second spacing washer between the upper end of the link and the seat or back frame arm which is disposed just inwardly thereof (or between said link and the aforesaid hinge bracket which pivotally connects the adjacent ends of the seat and back-frame side arms in some chair construction).

According to one feature of the present invention which is best shown in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive, the aforesaid links are each formed with integral embossments 24, 26 disposed to encircle the end holes 24a, 26a provided at the ends of the links and which are sized for the reception of the aforesaid rivets 22 and the extended ends of the cross-rod means 16, respectively. Said embossments 24 and 26 are preferably formed by deep-drawing them from the metal bounding said end holes 24a, 26a to a depth corresponding to the thickness of the washers usually employed to space the link from adjacent leg and back or seat frame parts of the chair .as aforesaid (or from the aforesaid hinge bracket employed in some chair construction). Preferably also, one or more longitudinal reinforcing ribs 28 may be provided in the body portion of the links, a single rib extending between and physically connecting the embossments 24, 26 being shown by way of illustration.

While the washer-serving embossments are shown to be formed so as to extend from the opposite faces of the links 20, they may be so formed as to extend from the same face, depending on the use to which the links are to be put.

It will be readily appreciated that the provision of the integral or deep draw embossments 24, 26 extending about the end holes in the links 20 and which are capable of serving the function of the separate spacing washers conventionally disposed between such links and adjacent chair leg and frame parts introduces appreciable economies in the construction of a chair employing the improved links of the invention, not only by saving the cost of the washers themselves and of inventorying and handling said washers, but also by doing away with the labor costs involved in properly assembling such separate washers in the final chair construction. And it will further be seen that the strengthening of the links 20 provided by the integral reinforcing rib or ribs 28 permits the links to be made of thinner gauge stock than heretofore. As an example of what is here meant, it is explained that whereas it was standard practice to fabricate the links corresponding to the aforesaid links 20 from .050 to .060 standard gauge flat steel stock, links strengthened and reinforced according to the present invention may be made from .030 gauge sheet-metal stock which of course is substantially less expensive than the aforesaid heavier .050 to .060 gauge stock from which the links were previously made.

Preliminary to a disclosure of a further feature of the invention, it is explained that the cross-rod means of the chairs, etc., having interleaved. webbing strips as the seat and back elements may comprise a plated metal sleeve of length as to extend the full distance between and space the lower ends of the side arms of the seat frame 14 (or between the aforementioned hinge brackets which pivotally connect the adjacent ends of the side arms of both the back and seat frames) and under which extend the longitudinal webbing strips of the back and seat elements, and a cold-rolled unplated steel rod extending through and having substantially greater length than said sleeve by an amount such that its ends after passing through the side-byside ends of the back and seat frame arms (or through the aforesaid hinge brackets) extend into the operating planes of the rear legs of the rear leg structure 10. Said extended ends of the unplated cross rod proper are usually, in a final operation, enclosed in end bushings which perform .the important functions of maintaining the cross rod in protrer axial position within the sleeve and of protecting said extended rod ends, which are ofttimes exposed to weather, from rusting. The aforesaid bushings are fashioned from a soft, non-rusting metal such as aluminum or they are made of plastic, and they are furthermore of the blind bore type which are force-fitted to the rod ends, or they are provided with a through bore and secured in place on the rod ends as by push-on retainer caps of the general type disclosed and claimed in my patent application Serial No. 327,672, filed December 3, 1963.

According to said further feature of the invention best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the swing links, which in the present modification are designated 30, instead of being provided with an upper-end hole (corresponding to that previously designated 26a of a size to receive the extended ends of the cross rod component 16a of the cross-rod means 16 and with an inner washer-forming embossment corresponding to that designated 26 in the earlier described link form, are each, in the first instance, provided with a hole 36a of the larger diameter enabling it to snugly receive the end bushing herein designated 38 which fits over said outermost end of the cross red as explained in the preceding. Preferably, such hole 36a is bounded by an outwardly facing, short axial-length flange 36 formed in a deep-drawing operation, said flange providing a bandlike seating surface for the end bushing 38 received therein.

By this arrangement, the upper end of the link 30 is adapted to be connected to the protective end bushing 38 and thereby indirectly to the extended end 16a of the cross rod proper, rather than directly to the cross-rod end as in the prior modification. However, the lack of a direct connection of link to cross-rod end is not at all prejudicial since, when once assembled to its end bushing 38, the link will be held in place with respect to the cross rod by the rivet 32 which secures its lower end to the rear leg, all was earlier explained.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the end bushings 38 are shown to be fashioned of plastic material, but of course they may be formed of any other acceptable material such as aluminum. As heretofore, the end bushings '38 may be of the blind bore type, in which case their bores are of a size and taper such that they may be force'- fitted on to the extended end 16a of the cross rod proper, or as illustrated they may be formed with a through bore of diameter enabling them to be readily threaded over said extended end and then secured in place by end caps 40 of the general type disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid application Serial No. 327,672.

According to yet another feature of the invention best shown in FIG. 6, the inner ends of the preferably plastic end bushings 38 are formed with integral short-axial length radial flanges 38a (FIG. 6) capable of serving as upperend spacing washers, just as the prior described embossments 26 of the first described link form 20 serve as washers. The integral end-flanges 38a serve the further important function of defining the innermost position of the links 30 with respect to said bushings, which is a fea ture of advantage when the links and busings are preassem'bled to one another.

Yet another feature of improvement in tubular frame folding chair and chaise construction which is provided by the present invention relates to the strurture of the cross-rod means 16. More particularly, the conventional cross-rod means employed in folding chair and chaise construction of the type under discussion comprises the aforesaid tubular sleeve (designated in FIG. 7) and a cross rod of length as to extend entirely through and thence outwardly beyond both ends of the sleeve to the operating planes of the rear legs 10. I have found that the single long cross rod heretofore used is not necessary since the aforesaid sleeve 50 is or can be made sufiiciently strong structurally as to make the intermediate length portion of said cross rod unnecessary. However, to provide the extended ends necessary to connect the swing links 30 to the tubular sleeve 50 and which by their engagement with the rear legs serve to maintain the chair or chaise in set-up position as aforesaid, I provide two stu-b rods 52a, 52b (FIG. 7), having length as to extend into the opposite ends of the tubular sleeve 50 a distance as to insure a good structura1 connection therebetween and also to extend beyond the ends of the sleeve to the operating planes of the rear legs 10 as aforesaid. It will be understood that the term stub rods as herein used is borrowed from the nomenclature of shafts, according to which shortlength shafts are known as stub shafts.

The use of the short-length stub rods 52a, 52b, rather than a single long cross rod as heretofore, makes possible yet another feature of improvement offered by the present invention, namely, that of combining into a sub-assembly unit a link 30, a stub rod 52a or 52b, an end bushing 38, and an end cap 40 for securing the bushing on the stub rod, the latter in the event that the end bushing is of the type requiring such securement. Preassem'bled units made up as aforesaid may be manufactured in quantity and sold as such, they are suited to being inventoried by the chair manufacturer, and they may be speedily assembled into a chair in the course of the manufacture thereof simply by inserting the stub rods of a pair of such units turned so that said stub rods extend towards one another into a tubular cross sleeve 50 already in place, followed by placing of the rivets 32 which connect the lower ends of the links to the chair rear legs 10.

Without further analysis, it will be appreciated that the invention provides not only an improved swing or chair link for tubular frame folding furniture, but in addition provides a simple yet improved and highly effective linkto-cross-rod means connection and also a link and connecting means therefor of a type which lends itself to being made up into pre-assembled units which are capable of being simply assembled to related chair parts.

Of course, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructional details that have been described above and illustrated. For example, whereas it has been stated that the swing links of the FIGS. 1-3 form are provided with oppositely directed, circular embossments at the ends thereof, it will be appreciated that said links may instead be formed with oppositely offset plane end portions connected by a longitudinal reinforcing rib corresponding to that designated 28. Thus, it will be appreciated that embossment as herein used is intended to include a plane offset portion on an end of the link which spaces same throughout its body portion from the chair parts with which each said swing link is associated. Similarly, in connection with the FIGS. 4 and 5 form of swing link, the axial length of the deep-draw link collar 36 may be shortened considerably from that shown or said collar may be eliminated entirely, with reliance for proper link spacing being placed on the embossment or offset provided at the lower end of the link and on the spacing flange 38a of the end bushing 38.

Accordingly, as such and other changes as might be obvious to persons skilled in the chair art could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In folding furniture construction, inclined rear supporting legs therefor, a cross member including rod-like ends extending transversely of said legs and end bushings mounted on and enclosing said ends, said bushing-enclosed ends normally resting on said legs, and generally planar, sheet metal links interconnecting said legs and said rodlike ends, said links having holes in their opposite ends, the one hole at the lower end providing for the reception of means pivotally connecting each said link to a leg for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane disposed inwardly of and adjacent that of said leg, and the one hole at the upper end providing for the passage of a rod-like end therethrough and being of a size as to snugly receive the end bushing enclosing said end, at least the lower end of each said link having an embossment extending about the hole at that end and said link being further provided with an integral longitudinal reinforcing rib extending substantially the length thereof between said holes, said embossment and rib facing toward the leg to which the link is pivotally connected, whereby said embossment serves as a spacing means effective between said link and leg and said reinforcing rib permits fabrication of the link from light-guage sheet metal.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bushings are each provided at its inner end with a radially projecting flange against which the upper end of an associated link engages, said flange serving as a spacing means effective between said link and an inwardly disposed chair part relative to which said link partakes of its swinging movement.

3. For use in folding chair and chaise lounge construction, a sub-assembly unit comprising a generally planar sheet metal swing link, a stub rod disposed at a right angle to the plane of said link and extending through a hole in one end of said link and an end bushing enclosing and being secured to said stub rod end and to which said link hole is closely sized, the link having a hole in its other end for the passage of a pivot adapted to connect said subassembly to a leg of said chair or chaise and being further provided with integral means adjacent said last-named hole for spacing said link from said leg, the stub rod adapted to be assembled into the cross-rod means of said chair or chaise.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, wherein said sheet metal link is provided with deep-drawn formations extending about its end holes and with a reinforcing rib extending between said formations.

5. For use in chair construction and the like, a generally plane-form swing link fashioned from relatively light-guage sheet metal and having a hole in each end thereof, for the passage of means about the axes of which the link is adapted to swing, and integral formations extending about each said end hole and serving in place of a separate spacing washer therefor, said link being further provided with an integral, longitudinal reinforcing rib extending substantially the full length portion thereof between said end holes.

6. A swing link according to claim 5, wherein an integral axial flange extends about one end hole, said flange providing a cylindrical bearing surface for the means passing through said other end hole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 708,976 9/1902 Johnson 287-101 1,924,824 8/1933 Yeager 126-306 2,072,074 2/1937 Travers et a1. 29729 2,43 6,298 2/ 1948 Gunderson 24833 2,485,794 10/ 1949 Waterbury et al 29635 2,709,481 5/1955 Budai 29738 2,812,801 11/1957 Heyman 29739 2,887,150 5/1959 Thomas 29728 3,061,866 11/1962 Krohm 50250.35

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. I. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN FOLDING FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION, INCLINED REAR SUPPORTING LEGS THEREFOR, A CROSS MEMBER INCLUDING ROD-LIKE ENDS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LEGS AND END BUSHINGS MOUNTED ON AND ENCLOSING SAID ENDS, SAID BUSHING-ENCLOSED ENDS NORMALLY RESTING ON SAID LEGS, AND GENERALLY PLANAR, SHEET METAL LINKS INTERCONNECTING SAID LEGS AND SAID RODLIKE ENDS, SAID LINKS HAVING HOLES IN THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS, THE ONE HOLE AT THE LOWER END PROVIDING FOR THE RECEPTION OF MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING EACH SAID LINK TO A LEG FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT IN A GENERALLY VERTICAL PLANE DISPOSED INWARDLY OF AND ADJACENT THAT OF SAID LEG, AND THE ONE HOLE AT THE UPPER END PROVIDING FOR THE PASSAGE OF A ROD-LIKE END THERETHROUGH AND BEING OF A SIZE AS TO SNUGLY RECEIVE THE END BUSHING ENCLOSING SAID END, AT LEAST THE LOWER END OF EACH SAID LINK HAVING AN EMBOSSMENT EXTENDING ABOUT THE HOLE AT THAT END AND SAID LINK BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH AN INTEGRAL LONGITUDINAL REINFORCING RIB EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH THEREOF BETWEEN SAID HOLES, SAID EMBOSSMENT AND RIB FACING TOWARD THE LEG TO WHICH THE LINK IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, WHEREBY SAID EMBOSSMENT SERVES AS A SPACING MEANS EFFECTIVE BETWEEN SAID LINK AND LEG AND SAID REINFORCING RIB PERMITS FABRICATION OF THE LINK FROM LIGHT-GUAGE SHEET METAL. 